A scheduled debate for this Sunday’s This Week with George Stephanopolous will not go on as planned.  Now the cancellation has Michael Moore and former House GOP leader Tom DeLay trading barbs.

ABC had arranged for the director to discuss the nation’s health care situation, the subject of his upcoming documentary, Sicko.  But Moore has since changed his mind, prompting DeLay to throw soft punches via his website.  DeLay claims that Moore refused to give him a preview copy of the film and then cancelled without explanation.  He then proceeded to call him a ‘chicken’. 

Having recently seen Michael Moore on The View, I personally believe that he could handle himself in any fight (and he was dealing with the leader of a conservative think tank and Elisabeth Hasselbeck that day).  As to why he cancelled, Moore said through a statement that the debate was originally scheduled with Billy Tauzin, the head of the pharmaceuticals industry lobby.  When ABC offered up Tom DeLay instead, Moore was no longer interested because DeLay ‘has nothing to do with the specific issues raised in the film Sicko and is under indictment.’

But those of us who love a juicy fight should not give up hope.  Moore did say that a one-on-one with DeLay could still happen sometime in the future:  “We will be happy to debate Delay in whatever prison he ultimately relocates to and allow ABC to cover that debate”.